Downbeat Harrington heading home

Padraig Harrington returned home from the United States striking a low-key tone ahead of this week’s 3 Irish Open.

The three-time major winner left Florida last night following an unsuccessful week at The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, which was won by Sweden’s Henrik Stenson.

Having admitted last week he was fighting his “addiction” to his working on his swing, and would concentrate on his strengths, Harrington last night said this week’s Irish Open at Baltray would probably come too soon for those strengths to reappear in his game.

“Obviously now I’ve got a tournament coming up next week so I’ve got to start thinking about that,” Harrington said.

“Every week you’re learning something and going forward a little bit. I still think I won’t be quite ready for next week but I certainly know where I’m at.

“It’s a combination of needing to take technical stuff onto the golf course and going from thinking about it to not thinking about it.”